Best Steels you've used?

[yg420]

I use a kono honyaki to crush garlic all the time, but I try not to be too careless with it either.

Konosuke Honyai? you're talking about that 1000 bucks knife? LOL that'd be my knife dream, if you're talking about this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ddFtftDKzI

its this one in 240https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBWeiofwr_A&t=40s

[Lepus]

I don’t have the guts to pop garlic with a knife. If I am not going to cut something, I prefer to use something else. I found a whole case of the bench knives that fit under a cutting board at a dollar store the other day and bought three more, so I’m good for a long time. I popped about fifty cloves today for a few sauces, ten at a time, and my Takeda watched.

My favorite steel now and for a long time is aogami #2. I have quite a few reasons for this. First and most importantly it does sharpen beautifully. Nothing is more important to me than that a knife steel takes a good edge. A knife is a cutting tool, so a knife steel needs to be excellent for that.

It’s reasonable to wonder why I don’t prefer shirogami #1 or 2, or even some other less alloyed steels from Europe, because they do sharpen even a bit better. But is also worthwhile that a knife steel hold an edge well and be relatively tough. Shirogami can be fine on these fronts, but by and large the simplest steels either highly prioritize retention and end up a little chip prone or don’t hold an edge quite as well. If shirogami or the purer Swedish steels are a 10 on sharpenbility, they are on average a 6 on retention and retention. Good aogami #2 is an 8 or 9 on every point. For me it is worth losing that last tick of sharpenability to get great toughness and retention.

Aogami super goes even a little further the other way. Retention is excellent, past the point I appreciate, and it is not as beautiful to sharpen and occasionally not as tough. I don’t mind sharpening occasionally, in fact I relish it. Some other steels are also tougher, but beyond the point at which I get utility. X50CrMoV15 is so much tougher than I would ever need.

I would like to try some of the other steels similar to aogami #2. I don’t think it is perhaps the best steel out there, but many smiths who do amazing work and have figured out wonderful heat treatments do use it. Aogami #2 is often great, but Watanabe’s aogami #2 is almost unbeatable. Heiji uses a semi-stainless steel that I want to try soon. I sent him an email today. Shigefusa uses a spicy Swedish steel that I am just getting time with now. I need to try some other tool steels, too. SLD is good in my Konosuke GS and I want to try SKD, or even the multiple different SKDs. The high end knife world has so much more out there I haven’t tried.

[Cutuu]

I love smashing me some garlic. I often still use the tip to cut them. I just like to give them a whack to unpeel them. Igot plenty of knives that handle that task just fine. I will admit I thought about it with my shibata. I did a gentle press and than said nope, no more. It's an attribute that leaves it on the bench generally for home cooking. I would disagree about knife needing to be monosteel. The knife just needs to be sturdy enough. Although, I would agree that a thinner monosteel knife may still handle the task, where as it's San mai counterpart might not.

@Mlb I feel for you, but you know you have to some times test the limits to find them right .

To the original question at hand: I would definitely agree about heat treatment like toyama's blue or moritakas AS etc., but I'll bite and say my fav is probably that Shig steel. It's just so damn smooth on the stones and I've always thought the edge retention was quite good. I just show it the stones and it gets blazing sharp!

[LostHighway]

This is a little off topic but the salemj post up thread has me wishing for more of a centralized repository of knowledge, maybe an editable sticky, where the more experienced members could post broad impressions of the various workshops or regions production. I'm not looking so much for information on specific knives/models as broader impressions as to general quality of heat treatment, q.c., and if there is a discernible house/region style the sorts of profiles/grinds/weights/balance that might define that. Mark seems to grant this forum quite a bit of freedom and if he'd permit it I'd like to see such a sticky include makers he doesn't carry and maybe more speculation (as already occurs here) as to the smiths behind various lines/trade names.

[Lepus]

I think what you want is a knife wiki.

[LostHighway]

Lepus » Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:27 pm
I think what you want is a knife wiki.

I guess that is true. I've perused several of the other kitchen knife forums and CKtG just seems saner and at least as well informed, with fewer people well out over their skis trying to give an impression of expertise or pursuing some private agenda. The reddit forum does have an attempt at a wiki but it is just a gloss, at best. As a novice the relative lack of any semblance of a centralized knowledge base has its frustrations. The search function here, on the old forum, and other venues helps but it is a rather scattered breadcrumb trail.

[Lepus]

I definitely agree. I would be willing to put in some time on that wiki.

[gladius]

Check out zknives.com, you may find some useful information...

http://www.zknives.com/knives/articles/ ... lfaq.shtml
http://www.zknives.com/knives/kitchen/m ... teel.shtml

[mlb1988]

I use a kono honyaki to crush garlic all the time, but I try not to be too careless with it either.

Konosuke Honyai? you're talking about that 1000 bucks knife? LOL that'd be my knife dream, if you're talking about this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ddFtftDKzI

its this one in 240https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBWeiofwr_A&t=40s

oooooo SEXY!

[mlb1988]

Something I experienced also, is that white steel takes good edge but was surprised how fast the retention has degraded lol.

[Jeff B]

Something I experienced also, is that white steel takes good edge but was surprised how fast the retention has degraded lol.

It touches up just as fast...just a few strokes on a strop and BAM...back in binness!

[Cahudson42]

Crushing garlic - where is your Prison Knife when you could really use it?

[mlb1988]

Crushing garlic - where is your Prison Knife when you could really use it?

[jbart65]

My favorite steel now and for a long time is aogami #2. I have quite a few reasons for this. First and most importantly it does sharpen beautifully. Nothing is more important to me than that a knife steel takes a good edge. A knife is a cutting tool, so a knife steel needs to be excellent for that.

It’s reasonable to wonder why I don’t prefer shirogami #1 or 2, or even some other less alloyed steels from Europe, because they do sharpen even a bit better. But is also worthwhile that a knife steel hold an edge well and be relatively tough. Shirogami can be fine on these fronts, but by and large the simplest steels either highly prioritize retention and end up a little chip prone or don’t hold an edge quite as well. If shirogami or the purer Swedish steels are a 10 on sharpenbility, they are on average a 6 on retention and retention. Good aogami #2 is an 8 or 9 on every point. For me it is worth losing that last tick of sharpenability to get great toughness and retention.

My favorite 240 is a Tanaka Sekiso. My favorite 210 is a Gassan. And my favorite nakiri is a Watanabe 180.

What do they all have in common? Aogami #2. I don't think it's a coincidence.

[Jeff B]

My favorite steel now and for a long time is aogami #2. I have quite a few reasons for this. First and most importantly it does sharpen beautifully. Nothing is more important to me than that a knife steel takes a good edge. A knife is a cutting tool, so a knife steel needs to be excellent for that.

It’s reasonable to wonder why I don’t prefer shirogami #1 or 2, or even some other less alloyed steels from Europe, because they do sharpen even a bit better. But is also worthwhile that a knife steel hold an edge well and be relatively tough. Shirogami can be fine on these fronts, but by and large the simplest steels either highly prioritize retention and end up a little chip prone or don’t hold an edge quite as well. If shirogami or the purer Swedish steels are a 10 on sharpenbility, they are on average a 6 on retention and retention. Good aogami #2 is an 8 or 9 on every point. For me it is worth losing that last tick of sharpenability to get great toughness and retention.

My favorite 240 is a Tanaka Sekiso. My favorite 210 is a Gassan. And my favorite nakiri is a Watanabe 180.

What do they all have in common? Aogami #2. I don't think it's a coincidence.

I think it is to a certain extent. Yes the steel does play some role in how much you like the knife but those knives are also known to have very nice grinds on them too. Change the profile and/or the geometry of those knives and you might not like them nearly as much.

[jbart65]

You may be right to some extent, Jeff, but some things jump out at me. Edge retention and toughness in particular. I also wonder if blue steel allows for certain grinds that could be subtly different than what I find on other knives.

I also seem to sense a certain stiffness and board feel to blue knives that I don't quite feel with others. AS, for example, seems more brittle to me just by feel alone.

Mostly in my head? Maybe. I can''t offer any scientific proof.

[mlb1988]

You may be right to some extent, Jeff, but some things jump out at me. Edge retention and toughness in particular. I also wonder if blue steel allows for certain grinds that could be subtly different than what I find on other knives.

I also seem to sense a certain stiffness and board feel to blue knives that I don't quite feel with others. AS, for example, seems more brittle to me just by feel alone.

Mostly in my head? Maybe. I can''t offer any scientific proof.

Brittle? Could be due to high HRC? Or in general? I mean it depends on the maker who excels at their own varies of steels. My white #2 at a very acute angle tend to dig into my board That stuff scares me *shivers*. Unless Im reading this wrong >.>

[mlb1988]

My favorite steel now and for a long time is aogami #2. I have quite a few reasons for this. First and most importantly it does sharpen beautifully. Nothing is more important to me than that a knife steel takes a good edge. A knife is a cutting tool, so a knife steel needs to be excellent for that.

It’s reasonable to wonder why I don’t prefer shirogami #1 or 2, or even some other less alloyed steels from Europe, because they do sharpen even a bit better. But is also worthwhile that a knife steel hold an edge well and be relatively tough. Shirogami can be fine on these fronts, but by and large the simplest steels either highly prioritize retention and end up a little chip prone or don’t hold an edge quite as well. If shirogami or the purer Swedish steels are a 10 on sharpenbility, they are on average a 6 on retention and retention. Good aogami #2 is an 8 or 9 on every point. For me it is worth losing that last tick of sharpenability to get great toughness and retention.

My favorite 240 is a Tanaka Sekiso. My favorite 210 is a Gassan. And my favorite nakiri is a Watanabe 180.

What do they all have in common? Aogami #2. I don't think it's a coincidence.

I have heard a lot of good things about Watanabe, and when I went to their site, I am very puzzled on how to purchase one. The makers site. They aren't in USA $ lol.

[Mojogyuto]

Moritaka super steel is incredible.. my Tanaka r2 is crazy.... yeah So my personal faves are aogomi super and r2. And blue #1

[jbart65]

My favorite steel now and for a long time is aogami #2. I have quite a few reasons for this. First and most importantly it does sharpen beautifully. Nothing is more important to me than that a knife steel takes a good edge. A knife is a cutting tool, so a knife steel needs to be excellent for that.

It’s reasonable to wonder why I don’t prefer shirogami #1 or 2, or even some other less alloyed steels from Europe, because they do sharpen even a bit better. But is also worthwhile that a knife steel hold an edge well and be relatively tough. Shirogami can be fine on these fronts, but by and large the simplest steels either highly prioritize retention and end up a little chip prone or don’t hold an edge quite as well. If shirogami or the purer Swedish steels are a 10 on sharpenbility, they are on average a 6 on retention and retention. Good aogami #2 is an 8 or 9 on every point. For me it is worth losing that last tick of sharpenability to get great toughness and retention.

My favorite 240 is a Tanaka Sekiso. My favorite 210 is a Gassan. And my favorite nakiri is a Watanabe 180.

What do they all have in common? Aogami #2. I don't think it's a coincidence.

I have heard a lot of good things about Watanabe, and when I went to their site, I am very puzzled on how to purchase one. The makers site. They aren't in USA $ lol.

You go to the order page on a knife you want, fill out the email and personal info stuff and send it to him. He'll get back to you. Stuff isn't always in stock. It may be in production when you email.